North Londoners worst affected by tenancy disputes
Kathryn Busby, from the charity Shelter, demonstrates against bad landlords outside the Old Bailey in central London - Credit: PA Archive/Press Association Images
According to the research over a quarter of renters in north London are still dealing with outstanding deposit disputes from landlords
Ever had to contend with an angry landlord refusing to return your deposit money north of the river? If so, you won’t be alone, as research last week from Weroom found that north Londoners are the worst affected by tenancy disputes in the capital.
According to the research over a quarter (26 per cent) of renters in north London are still dealing with outstanding deposit disputes from landlords, despite now living in new properties.
Weroom also uncovered that that 60 per cent of Londoners as a whole have dealt with a tenancy dispute and that 64 per cent had their deposit held by landlords with no grounds.
“As the housing crisis continues to grow, particularly in London, tenants are unfortunately finding themselves in more and more tenancy disputes with landlords,” said TV presenter and property expert Laura Williams on the findings.
“Regardless of whether the tenant or landlord is at fault, both parties can take steps to minimise the chances of a dispute occurring in the first place.”
However, the Deposit Protection Service said that the figures, taken from a poll of 2000, seemed out of sync with their own findings on tenancy disputes.
“Our figures show that in the last year, just 2.5 per cent of deposits protected by The DPS across England and Wales entered adjudication,” said a spokesperson.
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“This small percentage shows how often landlords and tenants can agree on deposit deductions without having to get anyone else involved.”
They recommended that when landlords and tenants can’t reach an agreement they should use the DPS’s Alternative Dispute Resolution service.
“Our website is also full of advice for both landlords and tenants on how to conduct themselves in a way that helps avoid disagreement,” they added.
Weroom has also provided Deposit Protection Guide, which can be accessed here.
